Chapter Fifty-four: The Nine-Spirit Ghost Mother

As Jin Yuan departed, the passage instantly sealed behind him, and a surge of black water welled up once again. The dark water condensed, coalescing at the spot into a single droplet of inky divine liquid. Nine wisps of black aura wreathed the surface, silent and mysterious, ever-shifting and unfathomable.

“Nine Nether Weakwater?” This was authentic Nine Nether River Weakwater, a relic sent from the underworld by Jin Yuan after his descent.

If one were to classify Weakwater, it was much like Yellow Springs Sand, holding different grades of quality. There were three well-known types: Three-Yin, Six-Hell, and Nine Nether.

The Three-Yin Water was the ordinary river water that drifted on the surface of the Nether River. What the mortal world usually referred to as “Nine Nether Water” was, in truth, this spirit-infused liquid. It could drown all things and corrode even bare bone. The black sludge and water unearthed by Jin Yuan as he tunneled was precisely this Three-Yin Water.

The Six-Hell Water lay deep within the Nether River, potent enough to slay immortals and refine souls.

But the true Nine Nether Weakwater was the very essence of a Nether River. Within the vast underworld, amidst countless rivers, the true Nine Nether Weakwater was exceedingly rare. In fact, only a single river was said to be wholly composed of this Nine Nether Weakwater—the first Nether River, formed at the dawn of the underworld itself, source of all other rivers. As the Nine Nether Weakwater dispersed into countless gullies and ravines, it would gradually transform, giving rise to the lesser Six-Hell Water and Three-Yin Water, thus forming the myriad winding nether rivers and ghostly springs.

Jin Yuan, upon his arrival in the underworld, happened to find himself beside one such ghostly spring. Thus, he sent forth a drop of genuine Nine Nether Weakwater as a gesture of gratitude.

Ji Feichen was overjoyed, and sitting cross-legged beside the Nine Nether Water, he attempted to refine the Weakwater into his body.

His “Dark Fiend Demon Dragon Canon” had reached a bottleneck; ordinary means could no longer advance his cultivation. Only by further purifying his power, transforming it into true Underworld Weakwater, could he progress.

Behind him, a black radiance surged, and a winding river of the netherworld unfurled. This river was formed of a hundred thousand drops of Weakwater, yet his own grade of Weakwater was inferior even to the lowest Three-Yin Water of the underworld. It was turbid, somber, shrouded in dim light—Weakwater of the lowest order.

But now, with the extraordinary fortune of obtaining Nine Nether Weakwater, the situation was utterly transformed.

He activated the next scroll of the Nether River technique. The Nine Nether droplet weighed as much as a mountain; not only was it impossible to lift, it seemed to draw all of Ji Feichen’s power into itself.

“Is the true Nine Nether Water really so formidable?” Gritting his teeth, Ji Feichen transformed himself into a black Demon Dragon. Such a transformation was typically only attempted by those who had attained the rank of Human Immortal, but Ji Feichen, with his solid foundation and immense power, could briefly assume this form even at the peak of the Mortal Shedding stage.

A single step ahead, and each step thereafter leads the way—such was the confidence of a scion of a sacred land.

The Black Dragon released all its power, forming a pool around the Nine Nether Water. Then, using the method for refining the Dragon Pearl from the “Demon Dragon Canon,” he condensed his hundred thousand drops of true water into a pearl, gradually drawing the Nine Nether Water into the core, making it the heart of the Dragon Pearl.

After several hours, the Nine Nether Water settled firmly at the core of the Dragon Pearl, unmoving and at peace. With a flash of mysterious radiance, the Dragon Pearl was swallowed by the Black Dragon, which shifted back into human form.

The Dragon Pearl descended into his lower dantian, a refreshing energy flooding his limbs and bones. Once more, a nether river appeared behind him, but now the river branched into nine winding streams. Moreover, the true water of each stream was now Three-Yin Water.

The water shone clear and pure; though it was underworld water, not a hint of sinister magic was exposed. It embodied the principle of true nature, purest Three-Yin Water. With the essence of Nine Nether Weakwater at its core, Ji Feichen himself could be seen as a small nether river of the underworld.

Nine rivers surged, their light solemn and still. Like a divine dragon coiling, overturning rivers and seas, they entwined in a special formation to continually multiply Ji Feichen’s power.

Employing the formation from the “Ninefold Celestial Diagram,” Ji Feichen finally broke through the threshold of a hundred thousand in power. The resonance of nine dragons elevated him into a wondrous and mysterious realm.

“No longer merely a Human Immortal—perhaps even beyond. With the augmentation of the Nine Nether Weakwater, my power now is at least the equal of Qin Wu’s at his peak.”

Qin Wu, as a successor of the Supreme Heaven, possessed power far beyond his peers, seeking to comprehend the principle of unity and achieve the supreme fruit of Human Immortal. Ji Feichen, after the resonance of the nine dragons, now stood on an equal footing. Once his cultivation was complete, he too could forge the immortal fruit and attain the rank of Human Immortal.

After handling the aftermath, he carefully gathered the two skeletons. “Next, it’s time to settle accounts with the Ghost Mother herself.”

Leaving the dry well, he found Bi De anxiously pacing outside. Ji Feichen stepped forward and reassured him, “Master, rest easy. The mission is accomplished. The ghosts have been eradicated.”

They returned to the house, where Li Jingxun had already healed Bi Rong. The boy, lively again, greeted his parents and, with a solemn little face, offered polite thanks to the three saviors. “Thank you, honored masters, for saving my life.”

“Though the fever has been cured, the family’s hereditary affliction is not truly resolved.” Ji Feichen told Bi De, “Your family’s Chiwen wood carving is fated for me. If I take it, you will inevitably face another calamity by fire. Therefore, I will leave you three jade talismans to help resolve this fate. As for this child…” Ji Feichen pointed at Bi Rong, “He is destined for the immortal path. Would you allow him to enter the Virtue Sect?”

“Cultivate the Way?” Qiu Jinchai and Bi De hesitated.

Li Jingxun was taken aback, but seeing Ji Feichen’s glance, she agreed, “Indeed, if he succeeds in the Immortal Way, your family will always have protection. This is the best way to ensure your lineage’s safety. Besides, his body is still weak; if we leave, what will you do if the illness returns?”

With their persuasion, and Bi Rong’s illness not completely eradicated, the couple agreed to let him train at the mountain for a few years.

“I and Senior Brother Qinghong have matters to attend to here; Junior Sister, you take them back to the mountain first.” Li Jingxun handed the child to Zhou Yan’er, sending her off.

As soon as they left, Li Jingxun’s demeanor changed, paying no mind to Bi De and the others. “Senior brother had the junior sister leave first and left a sole heir for the Bi family. Does this mean the trouble isn’t over?”

Bi De immediately grasped the implication and cried, “Master, didn’t you say the ghosts were eradicated?”

“Ghosts are easy to deal with; human hearts are hard to fathom. The disaster isn’t from your family, but rather aimed at the Qiu family.” Ji Feichen shook his head and sighed, producing the two skeletons.

The ghastly bones startled everyone, except Qiu Jinling, who, having spent time with the remains, was unperturbed. She stepped forward to examine them.

She asked, “Master, what is the issue with these bones?”

Ji Feichen chanted a spell and brushed his hand over the bones. Ripples shimmered, and flesh and features returned, revealing two beautiful women.

When Bi De saw their faces, he cried out and glanced at his wife.

Qiu Jinchai was bewildered, but as everyone stared at her, her expression changed, “What are you all looking at?”

“Madam, are you… are you human or ghost?” a servant stammered, holding up a bronze mirror for her. She saw at once that her features closely resembled those of the two skeletons.

“Nonsense! I’m alive and well—what have these bones to do with me?” She turned to Ji Feichen. “Master, what’s the meaning of this?”

“An ancestor of your family practiced dark arts, requiring the blood sacrifice of nine descendants to succeed. You and Qiu Jinling were among them. Qiu was set for a ghost marriage because of this.”

Li Jingxun, hearing this, understood. “Senior brother sent off the junior sister to wait for that person to appear, so as to resolve the matter for the Bi and Qiu families?”

“I can’t say if we’ll succeed—only that we’re bearing the burden for now.”

Ji Feichen exchanged the Chiwen wood carving for three Water-Seal Jade Talismans. “This item is fated for me; perhaps it will aid in the coming battle.”

The Chiwen wood carving transformed into a fish-dragon and flew into the Nine-Clouds Mystic Crystal Disk, completing it. Now, only a dragon artifact was needed for it to become a true treasure of the Human Immortal level. Even so, Ji Feichen’s powers of divination were greatly enhanced.

Using the mystic disk, Ji Feichen divined past and future, checking the fortunes of himself and Li Jingxun. He then requested blood from Qiu Jinling and Qiu Jinchai for a ritual. The others were sent to hide inside, while he and Li Jingxun prepared in the courtyard.

They daubed the sisters’ blood on the two skeletons. Ji Feichen whispered to Li Jingxun, “In a moment, we’ll head out of the city. If anything changes, stick this Tortoise Talisman on the skeleton and see if you can capture the demon.”

The Tortoise Talisman was a gift from Jin Yuan and contained the power of a Human Immortal.

Ji Feichen held the Celestial Talisman, and the two waited in the courtyard.

Before long, a beam of black light descended, and an irate female voice snarled, “Who are you little thieves, daring to ruin my feng shui again!”

Black wind rose, demonic clouds gathered, and a woman in black veils, her features resembling Qiu Jinchai’s, appeared in the yard.

Inside, the others gasped, while the Qiu sisters turned pale and clung to each other in terror.

Ji Feichen stepped forward, “I am Qinghongzi, a wandering cultivator of the Mystic Way. Greetings, Nine-Spirit Ghost Mother.”

The Ghost Mother, face cold, swept her gaze over the two, then the mortals in the house, and sneered, “So, it’s just a couple of juniors meddling in my affairs? Knowing my name and still daring to act?”

Seeing no hidden traps or powerful cultivators, the Ghost Mother felt at ease—these were mere juniors.

Li Jingxun stepped up beside Ji Feichen, “If we’re not mistaken, Ghost Mother, you are an ancestor of the Qiu family. Why set yourself against your descendants?”

“Hmph! I haven’t harmed outsiders—just offered a few descendants in a blood sacrifice. You meddling mystics dare to interfere!” With that, the Nine-Spirit Ghost Mother drew her sword and struck at Li Jingxun.

Li Jingxun remained calm, tearing a page from the Book of Virtue. “Hold the Great Image—all under heaven follow. To follow is to be unharmed, at peace and at ease.” A mysterious, ancient wheel shaped like an elephant rose beside her.

“She’s skilled in the arts!” Ji Feichen raised his brow and, unseen, readied the Azure Tide Pearl in his sleeve.

“The Elephant Wheel? You’re from the Virtue Sect?” Seeing the wheel radiate five-colored light, shielding both of them, the Ghost Mother sneered, “Always the self-righteous Virtue Sect. If you hadn’t slain my mortal body centuries ago, would I resort to such means now?”

Centuries before, during the war of immortals and demons, a master of the Virtue Sect had severed the Ghost Mother’s mortal form, but spared her spirit for the sake of her minor transgressions, allowing her to seek the Way if she refrained from evil. For years, she cultivated in the mountains, gaining some merit, but a century ago, tempted by demonic peers, she sought to blood-sacrifice nine descendants to restore her body.

The bones buried in Turtle Mountain and the dry well were her cast-off shells from previous cultivation—nine in total. If she sacrificed nine descendants, the bones would absorb their blood and she would rise again, flesh and bone reborn.

Resentful over her thwarted path, the Ghost Mother’s face twisted with malice, and she fought the two in a furious duel.

Ji Feichen and Li Jingxun fought and retreated, Ji Feichen tossing out the Azure Tide Pearl as he pulled Li Jingxun onto a cloud. “Ghost Mother, this mortal place is ill-suited for battle—let us settle this outside the city!” The two sped ahead, drawing the Ghost Mother out of Golden Yuan City and into the wilds.